Keeping Your Business Financially Afloat
Warren Buffett’s famous quote, “You never know who’s swimming naked until the tide goes out,” is eerily ominous this year. More than 100,000 small businesses have permanently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If your business is still in the fight, congratulations! But if you’re feeling a little drafty from lack of adequate “swimwear,” know […]
Can You Deduct a Virtual Company Holiday Party?
Ah, 2020. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. As we head into the home stretch, employers are wondering what on Earth they’re going to do about their annual holiday parties thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, 76% of businesses held office parties in December. This year? Only 23% are planning a year-end celebration, […]
Charity in 2020: A Tax Guide
This year is unlike any other. That truth is clear when it comes to charitable contributions. Several relief measures and new tax rulings may affect your usual giving plan, for better or for worse. If you’re a business owner, even more opportunities abound. It’s worth a close look before the end of the year to […]
A Reminder to “Log” Travel Expenses
As business travel picks back up, a court ruling within the past 12 months brings to light the importance of maintaining records for travel-related tax deductions. The case involves a timberland owner who barely escaped IRS fines after his travel logs were stolen. As Accounting Today summarizes, the taxpayer traveled every week to maintain and […]
Did You Request IRS Penalty Relief Due to COVID?
The September 15 tax deadline has come and gone, but many had trouble getting their taxes filed and paid on time. The IRS offers relief, but even some who followed the rules will still receive penalties. The mid-September milestone included several tax deadlines for closely held businesses. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) […]
What’s in a Name? The Business Value of YOU
In a significant move last year, the NCAA decided to allow individual athletes to profit from their own name, image, and likeness. While you may not be a superstar on the court, you might be able to “bank” on your name, too. If you’re a business owner, it’s a worthwhile consideration because it can drive […]
Surprise Nonpayment Notice? Mail Delays and Your Taxes
The IRS had up to 12 million pieces of unopened mail at one point this summer. That mail may have included your tax payment. And while that backlog is painstakingly sorted, you may have been shocked to receive a nonpayment notice along with threats of penalties and late fees. “If a taxpayer mailed a check […]
Feds Now Prosecuting PPP Loan Fraud
For those who received PPP money during the pandemic and misused it, the time of reckoning is already here. More than a dozen criminal cases have been filed across 11 states involving PPP loan misuse. As the Los Angeles Times reports, these first cases involve “blatant fraud” by small businesses and individual business owners, not […]
IRS “Wealth Squad” to Audit Hundreds by October
The IRS is back to business, conducting new examinations of tax returns and enforcing collections. A top priority? It intends to audit hundreds of high-net-worth taxpayers by September 30, 2020. The audits will be conducted by the agency’s Global High Wealth Industry Group (GHW) of the Large Business & International (LB&I) Division. It involves a […]
Syndicated Conservation Easements Get Complicated
Designating conservation easements on property can be a great way to preserve land while gaining a valuable tax break. But the IRS is cracking down on abuses of this practice by partnerships and individuals who have invested in syndicated conservation easements. If you’re an investor who took tax deductions on donations of conservation easements through […]